A 42-year-old Longford man is beginning a jail sentence this evening following a violent incident in December 2018.
Denis Hannifin, of Curry, Athlone Road, Longford, was sentenced to a total of 52 months in jail, with eight suspended after causing serious injury to his second cousin Denis McGinley
Following a week-long trial in February, Hannifin was convicted by a jury of assault, affray and possession and production of a knife at Longford Shopping Centre on December 7th 2018.
The court heard that the 25-year-old victim instigated the incident but it quickly escalated when the construction worker pulled a knife from his pocket and slashed his cousin four times.
Mr McGinley sustained a 30 cm wound to his chest, a 22cm wound to his arm and two further 'slash' wounds - including one to his forehead.
The court heard the injuries could have been life-threatening unless urgent medical intervention was received.
The court also heard that Mr McGinley had pleaded guilty to a charge of affray arising from the incident and had already been sentenced in January of this year.
A victim impact statement was read in court by a garda on behalf of Mr McGinley in which he claimed his life had been 'hell' and a 'nightmare' since the incident and he was very conscious of a scar on his face and weakness in his side and arm following the incident.
He also suggested he has been left with life-changing mental and physical scars and his dreams of living and working in construction in Canada had been taken from him by Denis Hannifin.
Today's sentencing hearing also heard details of an alleged incident between members of the McGinley and Hannifin families that preceded the December stabbing.
However, Judge Francis Comerford remarked that regardless of what had happened before, this should not have happened and there "was no wrong and right, just wrong and wrong."
The court was also made aware of a probation report on Mr Hannifin, which stated he now accepts he was responsible for having a knife at the scene and that he is willing to engage in mediation to resolve issues between the families.
His barrister also claimed that the 42-year-old protected himself in excess of self-defence and asked the court for clemency and Mr Hannifin was employed as a trustee prisoner and was cleaning prison vehicles. He left school at 13 and was the main provider for his wife and family.
The court also heard details of an alleged video involving Mr Hannifin from jail which the prosecution claimed went against any submission that the accused was a 'model prisoner'.
However, Judge Comerford outlined that any submission from either side was not evidence and he could only pass a sentence on evidence.
The court heard Mr Hannifin had two previous convictions - including for an incident at a petrol station in Longford in June 2019 which is under appeal.
Judge Comerford also disagreed with the DPP estimation that the offences were at the higher end of the scale of offending.
He claimed the incident was a blatant act of aggression and children nearby would have been walking by a 'mayhem of assault'
He also expressed concern over evidence of Mr McGinley and his father engaged in a phone call in the minutes before the assault planning an attack on Mr Hannifin and described the 25-year-old as someone who went in as a "hunter looking for his prey."
Judge Comerford said there wasn't much mitigation in favour of the accused but he had penned a letter to the court showing 'significant remorse' but was not in a position to show good character generally.
He imposed a 52-month sentence for the section four assault causing serious harm - suspending the final eight months for a period of eight months after the 42-year-old is released from jail.
Concurrent sentences of 30 months were imposed for the possession and use of a knife and a 25 month concurrent sentence was imposed for a charge of affray.
Another assault charge was taken into consideration
The sentence was backdated to February 25th when the construction worker and gardener went into custody.
